Category: France

I have always wanted to explore the French Riviera (Cote d’Azur), just thinking about it conjures up exotic images of blissful beaches and dazzling blue seas, Cannes Red Carpet, Monaco Grand Prix, Luxurious yachts, Casinos, Glitz and Glamour.

But Cote d’Azur has a reputation for being pricey, jam-packed in peak season and beyond the budget for many families or couples. I was under the impression that it is only for rich and luxurious people. But I was wrong, you don’t have to be a millionaire to visit French Riviera. With proper planning and French Riviera Pass you can have a blast and that too with in your budget.

When I started planning my French Riviera trip, I was looking for the best way to cover entire Côte d’Azur and then I came across French Riviera Pass. It provides free access to the most important sites in the Côte d’Azur and helps you make big savings on your holiday budget! So, I planned my 5 days trip to French Riviera around it and got best of French Riviera through the pass.

French Riviera pass is not restricted to a city but can be used across French Riviera and includes activities for tourist of all ages. It includes free entry in the museums, recreational activities like Casino, Segway, guided tours, day excursion trips and many more. You can get the complete list of activities here. Apart from leisure activities and see-sighting offers, it also offers discounts and reductions on various shopping outlets.

I purchased 3 days pass for €56 and it is valid for 72 hours from your first use. Pass is available for 24 and 48 hours as well, but will be of best use if purchased for 72 hours.

Pass can be booked online and can be collected later from the tourist information office in Nice and many other shopping outlets across Nice. These locations are easily accessible and are near to famous landmarks. You also have the option to get it shipped, but it has extra shipping cost.

You can also use transport option as an add-on to this card.

Below is the itinerary that I used with my card across French Riviera:

Day 1: Collected my card from Tourist office situated on Promenade des Anglais, next to Ruhl Casino. My plan for the day was to roam around the Nice and visit all the famous landmarks and I opted my activities accordingly

Petit Train, Nice: A 50 minutes guided tour in multiple languages. It covers The Flower Market, Massena Square, the Old Town, the Castle Hill, the Front de Mer seafront esplanade, the Bay of Angels, the Promenade des Anglais, Albert I Gardens.Actual cost €10, free with French Riviera pass.

Petit Train de Nice

Coastal Tour: Best way to Discover Nice is through the coastal route,from Cap de Nice to the Promenade des Anglais passing through the famed Villefranche bay, you will marvel at the dream surroundings, rich with splendid structures and magnificent villas. Actual cost €18, free with French Riviera pass, prior booking required.

Villefranche-sur-Mer view from the Cruise

Nice Le Grand Tour: I choose for evening Hop on Hop off double-Decker city bus tour. You can enjoy unique views from the upper deck with enough time to admire the exceptional monuments and landscapes of Nice. Actual cost €22, free with French Riviera pass for one day.

Day 2: We took a day trip to Monaco from Nice and guess what, your pass can be used in Monaco as well for multiple activities. But I did not stop with that, after coming back from Monaco we tried our luck at Ruhl Casino

Jardin Exotique de Monaco: Beautifully located on a rocky cliff overlooking the Sea, the garden has a remarkable panoramic view over the Principality of Monaco and offers an opportunity to discover nearly a thousand plant varieties, some of which are over a hundred years old. Actual cost €7, free with French Riviera pass for one day.

Oceanographic Museum, Monaco: Built up against the legendary rock of Monaco, this Temple of the Sea, with its aquariums, historic collections, shark lagoon and tortoise island on the panoramic terrace, offers visitors a unique experience. Actual cost €14, free with French Riviera pass

Ruhl Casino, Nice: You will get free Chips for playing and a glass of Champagne. Actual cost €12, free with French Riviera pass

Day 3: Pass even offers you a full day excursion either to Monaco, Cannes or Saint Tropez, so why not take the advantage and save even the travelling cost to any one of these destinations. Your tour will take around 8 hours and come back to Nice in evening so you will be having ample time to choose one more activity and I choose for the Segway tour

Day 4: Advantage with 72-hour card is that it includes entry to Marine land, Antibes which is not available with 24 and 48-hour card. Have you noticed, I am able to use my card on 4th day as well? As on Day 1, I activated my card around 12:00 PM and on day 4, I visited Cathedral early morning and got entry in Marine land before 12:00 PM.

Marine land, Antibes: Get ready to be amazed by killer-whales, dolphins, sea-lions, tunnel of sharks, the aquariums and the polar bears. Actual cost €39, free with French Riviera pass.